It has been two years since a smartphone innovation made me sit up and take notice. The last time was when Samsung showed to us that size matters with the Galaxy Note and initiated the phablet phenomenon. And now LG has captured my attention with hardware innovation in the G2.

The LG G2 came packed in a gigantic box almost the size of what shirts come packed in. I hope LG isn't intending to use the same boxes in retail sale. Retailers would surely complain about the space it eats up.

The highlight of the G2 is its rear buttons. The phone is devoid of any side buttons and both the power key and the volume rocker key - which are traditionally found on the sides - have been integrated into a single rear key located at the back just below the rear camera. The position of rear key fits into the style most of us hold a phone. Initially, I found myself accidentally pressing the volume up button when I wanted to press the power button. But in no time, my fingers automatically found the right controls. It just takes a little while getting used to.Also interesting is that to wake up the phone, you don't need to press any buttons, a double tap on the display does the job.

There was a downside of the rear key that I observed while taking screenshots. I found myself employing relatively more effort while taking screenshots and it required me to use both hands. On other Android phones, screenshots can be easily taken using a single hand.

While the buttons on the rear were a definite positive, the glossy smudge-friendly rear panel was a disappointment. The pattern at the back isn't any look-enhancer. The rounded corners and curved edges at the back make it comfortable to grip. A lot of 5-inch phones look quite bulky and are uncomfortable to carry and use, but despite being a 5.2-inch phone, it doesn't feel its size.